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Friday, August 06, 2010

Managing the home, managing the homeschool!

Updated 05/04/2010

As any busy homeschooling mother can tell you, the condition of the family's house and home can and does have a direct impact on how much and how well the homeschooling goes. Mom and children can just function better when they are surrounded by order instead of chaos.

That doesn't mean every homeschool family's home has to look like Martha Stewart lives there, and it doesn't have to be doused in bleach. But reasonably clean and organized is good. For me that means I could open my front door and let a visitor in without being embarrassed, no one is suffering from food poisoning, and if I want to find a book, pencil, or pen, it is not an all day adventure trying to locate one! If I pass on those, I'm doing pretty good.

Lots of moms on line have made their own Household Management Books or Binders (kind of like the ones you see at the beginning of Wife Swap every week, only much more in depth and practical!) These can be very useful to mom (saving up needed brain space for other stuff!) but also helpful when mom is sick or away allowing the husband and kids to have some idea of what to do, and when to do it!

These Household Management Binders can be as simple or as fancy as you want. You can spend some money on the forms to go in them, or you can simply make your own to suit your own taste.

There are a lot of places on line to help you put such a binder together if you are interested.

Of course the first place to start out for novices or beginners isFly lady. They take you baby step, by baby step through the process of putting your household binder together, and what to put in it!

Cindy is just one fun, energetic friendly lady. I bought her Brains in a Binder a few months ago when she was having a sale and have been enjoying it. Many of the other printables I purchased have been good too, particularly her ABC sheets for my daughter. Her stuff is a little pricey, but I think you get a lot of value for your money and I will definitely be a repeat customer.

I bought Manager's of Their Homes years ago and just put her schedule into practice this year. If you are the mom of a big family (particularly if you were raised in a little family) this is a great book to help figure out how to handle it all. They also have:Sample chore charts and Free templates

1 comment:

I'm going to recommend that you remove the Simple Gifts binder from your list. I ordered the binder in CD format TWO months ago and not only have I NOT received my order, I never receive communication or updates from Nissa unless I start to hassle her with emails (and then she has excuse after excuse). To make things worse, she charged our credit card immediately and I have no idea if I'll ever receive my CD or my money back! One month ago (1/11) she said it would be mailed "next week" but I haven't heard (or seen) a thing since then. I emailed her again this morning, so I hope to have some results. Your readers should stick with the other recommendations you offer!

"I've also been reading this blog for some time and just noticed I hadn't added you to my favorite blogs. Done!" The Mighty Barrister 5/21/04

"Now go haul your huge, sagging, obese, smelly old body out of the chair and take care of those kids of yours before I call CPS and have them do an inspection and see what you're really up to when you're supposed to be homeschooling them." NMH 2006

"I could certainly continue to go back and forth (and believe me, I would love to!!!!!), but that would be answering a fool according to his folly." Amy-anti-Catholic blogger at Blessed Motherhood 7/07/07!

"Where's Elena? We need Elena." Kathryn the Daring Young Mom 2/17/06

"I have no problem with Elena. I find her answers to be quite lucid, witty, and insightful." David B commenting on In Today's News 10/29/05

"She's not cranky, she just senses happiness and snuffs it out." Gabe, age 9, after being scolded for not being ready for swim practice. 12/04

"Elena of My Domestic Church get’s my nomination for living a life of loveliness that I could only ever dream of. She’s an awesome wife and mother, a deeply committed Catholic, a proponent of pro-life issues, a hands on make-and-bake-and-cut-and-stick-musical-momma, a prayerful, compassionate, thoughtful and passionate woman who endeavours to live a christocentric life in her own euphonious way. Yes, I am proud to know her as a blog buddy and sharing in her trials and her triumphs via reading her blog over the last few years has impacted me more than she could know… and always for the better." Deb from Ukok's Place 08/2007

"i have a feeling elena never moves on from anything. other than the couch to the fridge." 08/2007 commenter on the now defunct Rock Star Mommy Blog.

" I think you're a shrew." Anne Basso 7/08

"Even with our differences, I will say one thing--she's smart. I may not always agree with what she says, but she doesn't spout unsupported garbage as fact." Ruthjoec aka JAnn from AOL Catholic message boards and This That and the Other Thing Blog

"As a Catholic Mother myself, I enjoy reading My Domestic Church. It's one of the many blogs that I follow and read regularly. It's refreshing to read comments from a mother that shares your views. So much of what Elena has me nodding my head in agreement. I'm sure that any Catholic-Mother will enjoy reading Elena's blog." SAMinIL on Blog Catalog 9/09.

"Because of my interest in Benedictine spirituality and monasticism, began reading about the Domestic Church. This site is an excellent resource. Like any good family it is alive with energy and the Holy Spirit." John on Blog Catalog 12/08

"I watched your talk on YouTube and thought you and your husband did a wonderful job. Very natural, not stilted. Your account of your child, Raphael's, life and death were extremely touching and profound." Eileen via e-mail 02/21/2010

Happy Easter to you Elena! Four years ago I discovered Candy. Two years ago I discovered you. Last night (Easter Vigil) I was received into full communion with the Catholic Church. It was a beautiful night and one I will remember forever. Thanks to you and Kelly for clearing up any confusion there may be about what the Church believes, teaches, and proclaims. Have a blessed Easter season!" From a VTC reader. 05/2010

"Elena, You completely 'foul up' the catechism. I repeat you are a nice lady, but your lack of education and knowledge, as your distorted answers show," Jack from Liberal Catholic Sports Music 1/9/2009

"you repeatedly impress me. I know we have very different political views that show up in our comments to each other at times, but I have never once felt anything but generosity from you toward who I am." JB via e-mail 7/23/2010

"The post I really love, though is 28 Things I Learned About Marriage in 28 Years at My Domestic Church. In fact, it's so good I plan to show it on the first day of class for my Family and Society course this." Sister Edith at Monastic Musings

you never cease to amaze me, and everyone else! You are unbelievably unforgettably wow! I'm so blessed to be your cousin and friend. Dan - My domestic cousin 5/2014

Elena: A flute could never sound or feel so etherial as when you play. Marissa 01/2015

"When Elena turns the other cheek, it's so she can whip around the other side with full force!" Mr. Pete (My Domestic

Husband!)

Favorite Quotes

"It is right to begin with the obligations of home, and, while these are overlooked and neglected, no other duties canpossibly be substituted for them." - Charles Dickens

"I believe it to be a great mistake to present Christianity as something charming and popular with no offense in it....Wecannot blink at the fact that gentle Jesus meek and mild was so stiff in his opinions and so inflammatory in his languagethat he was thrown out of church, stoned, hunted from place to place, and finally gibbeted as a firebrand and a public danger. Whatever his peace was, it was not the peace of an amiable indifference."--Dorothy Sayers

"Thirteenth Rule. To be right in everything, we ought always to hold that the white which I see, is black, if the Hierarchical Church so decides it, believing that between Christ our Lord, the Bridegroom, and the Church, His Bride, there is the same Spirit which governs and directs us for the salvation of our souls. "St. Ignatius Loyola.

"There are not over a 100 people in the U.S. that hate the Catholic Church, there are millions however, who hate whatthey wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church -- which is, of course, quite a different thing." -- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

"Like the sun rising over the mountans of the Lord is the beauty of a good wife in a well-kept house."--Sirach 26:21

"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be. "C.S. Lewis

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning fromme. 8 When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for [a] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself." Ez 33:7-9

"Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their parentage." Proverbs 17:6

"Behold, sons are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward." Psalm 127:3

"Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him." Soujourner Truth

"I am going on a diet. From this day forward, I pledge there will be no pork chop too succulent! No donut too tasty! Nopizza too laden with delicious toppings to prevent me from reaching my scientifically-determined ideal weight! As God as my witness, I'll always be hungry again!"Homer Simpson

"A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt

"And today I go down to the secular equivalent of hell, the secretary of state's office" Jane at Vox Lauri Blog

"It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.” - William G. McAdoo

"Ignorance of Christ and his Gospel, bad example given by others, enslavement to one's passions, assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience, rejection of the Church's authority and her teaching, lack of conversion and of charity: these can be at the source of errors of judgment in moral conduct." PP1792 Catechism Catholic Church.

"I suppose elegance and sophistication are against the homeschoolers' idea that frump is equivalent to modest" MHOblt via FB 6/2014My Favorite quotes on Quotiki.

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In memoriam

Long beyond the empty cradle,Through the coming years, I will carry you all my life, And I will praise the One whose chosen me to carry you.
Such a short time, Such a long road, All this madness,
But I know that the silence has brought me to His voice

"I will not forget you... I have held you in the palm of my hand." Isaiah 49:15